After a long and lovely summer, going back to school, college or work can bring on a whole range of emotions, some good, some bad. Starting somewhere new in particular can bring on feelings of anxiety, excitement or even dread. Below find some words of advice for a new start…
Sarah Halliwell, THE GLOSS Beauty Editor
“When in doubt, I turn to tennis. Because it’s as much of a mental game as a physical one. The pros all emphasise the importance of staying in the point you’re playing, rather than thinking ahead to the next game, or set, or match (or whatever else is on your mind). The key thing to keep in your head is: one point at a time. Sometimes you’re playing a match and it’s brutally hard, and probably raining, and you slam an easy volley into the net and you feel like going home, and quitting the game for ever. But you stay in it and try to win just one more point. And that feels like one way to go forward.
In fact, many aspects of tennis can inform other areas of life. Be a team player. Don’t call a ball out when it’s in. Give credit to your opponent when they hit a good shot. And don’t give up. Call it the Andy Murray approach.” @sarahhalliwellbeauty
Penny McCormick, THE GLOSS Contributing Editor
“I always believe a new job is an incentive to update your personal image in some way – even if it only means a new lipstick – it’s symbolic of making a fresh start. One of the best investments I made prior to starting a new role many years ago was a colour consultation. This had a transformative effect, not just on my wardrobe and shopping habits, but also my mindset and confidence.
No, I didn’t show up wearing a coat of many colours on my first day but I did learn not to rely on boring black (too draining) and instead incorporated some jewel tones (which suit my complexion) and made simple tweaks – such as wearing white blouses instead of cream ones. What I learned was to wear colours that flatter and make you the best version of yourself, and, as the old adage goes, if you look good, you feel good, and perform better too.” @pennymccormicked
Amy McDonnell, THE GLOSS Assistant Digital Editor
“A piece of advice that I will always remember, is one I recieved the summer before I started secondary school. A funny, dry-humoured uncle wrote in a card; ‘Well, you know you won’t eat them, so they probably won’t eat you.’ Actually, this really helped.”
Maggie Armstrong, Writer
We heard from Maggie Armstrong, a Dublin-based writer, about the day she got her leaving cert results. There is a lot to be learnt from her words – two quotes stand out: “The best things you learn come from failure, from making mistakes and figuring out what not to do. I think of a statement attributed to Mark Twain: ‘I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.’
And as Aristotle said, ‘educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.’ Good luck kids. Tear open those doors.” @maggiearmstrong56 Read the full article here.
Lynn Enright, Journalist
September can be a time that brings on feelings of anxiety and inevitably the post-summer holiday blues kick in. A back-to-work reset is at the front of our minds at this time of year, and it can be hard to know how to get into the swing of things. Lynn Enright discusses the idea of having a life coach and her personal experience with one. Enright advises “Working with a coach may be transformational for some people, offering accountability and structure as they work towards their goals.” @lynnenright Read the full article here.